Estimated 2.5 million people displaced by tornadoes, wildfires and other disasters in 2023 tell a story of recovery in America and who is vulnerable

Recovering after tornadoes, particularly in small towns, has many challenges. AP Photo/Julio Cortez by Tricia Wachtendorf, University of Delaware and James Kendra, University of Delaware People often think of disasters as great equalizers. After all, a hurricane, tornado or wildfire doesn’t discriminate against those in its path. But the consequences for those impacted are not “one-size-fits-all.” That’s evident in the U.S. Census Bureau’s newly released results from its national household surveys showing who was displaced by disasters in 2023. Overall, the Census Bureau estimates that nearly 2.5 million Americans had to leave their homes because of disasters in 2023, whether for a short period or much longer. However, a closer look at demographics in the survey reveals much more about disaster risk in America and who is vulnerable. It suggests, as researchers have also found, that people with the fewest resources, as well as those who have disabilities or have been marginalized, were more likely to be displaced from their homes by disasters than other people. Disasters like hurricanes can cut electricity and running water to homes for weeks at a time, and can make access to retrieve medication and belongings for those displaced nearly impossible. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert Decades...